Flame retardant Phosphorous compounds for plastics and polyurethanes

23-Jul-07

Lanxess has presented its portfolio of effective flame retardant phosphorous compounds for plastics and polyurethanes. The flame retardants come in three product lines Levagard, Disflamoll and Bayfomox and offer significant advantages and excellent flame retardance, even in complex applications. They include new grades for use in low-fogging flexible foams for the automotive industry. Levagard products are particularly adept at making rigid polyurethane foam flame-retardant. Levagard DMPP and Levagard TEP-Z are highly effective halogen-free phosphorous compounds that lend themselves to applications in the construction industry like insulating foams. Levagard TP LXS 51053, is tailored to the current requirements of the flexible polyurethane foam market with its halogen-free, reactive and therefore low-emission properties. It already complies with fire safety standards even at low additions. The halogen-free phosphorous esters of the Disflamoll range are suitable for a large number of plastics. They have proved particularly effective both in rigid and flexible polyurethane foam applications and in coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers (CASE). When used in CASE applications, Disflamoll TOF and Disflamoll DPK demonstrate a plasticizing and flame-retardant resistance. Low-viscosity Disflamoll DPK, for example, is primarily used for flexible polyurethane foam and impresses with its low scorch properties and good processability. Using this flame retardant can greatly reduce or totally eliminate the scorch effect that results in anything from undesirable reactions and discoloring to burning inside the foam. Bayfomox offers a reactive dual-component polyurethane system that is used to manufacture extremely flame-retardant plastics articles for fire stop applications. This enables items with a general building certification; such as strips, mats or masonry blocks, to be produced to seal holes in masonry for cables or pipes. When exposed to high temperatures in an emergency, the plastics molded parts turn into a heat-insulating carbonized foam that prevents both fire and fumes getting through for a long period.